Vibratory parts feeders are commonly known apparata for orienting parts from a mass of disoriented parts so that the parts may be compiled in an orderly manner or transported along a processing path. In orienting the parts, a vibratory parts feeder typically includes a vibratory bowl which is driven by a vibratory drive unit. A conventional vibratory bowl is internally configured to convey the parts along a helical parts track under vibratory action to a bowl exit location near the top edge of the bowl. The conventional vibratory bowl is also externally dimensioned to a standard height for a particular type of parts to be oriented. This ensures the parts will be properly compiled or transported.
A common problem associated with conventional vibratory bowls is the inability to orient fragile parts without causing some form of structural or functional damage to the fragile parts. Specifically, the bottom of a conventional vibratory bowl is substantially the same as the standard height of the bowl, and a user of a conventional vibratory bowl will fully load the bowl with fragile parts. As the fragile parts convey along the helical parts track, any disoriented fragile part will fall from the helical parts track toward the bottom of the bowl in order to be reconveyed in the proper orientation along the helical parts track. For any fragile part that falls from the helical parts track, damage to the fragile part may occur in three ways. First, impact with another fragile part near the bottom of the bowl may cause a portion of the fallen part as well as a portion of the other fragile part to deform, fracture, split, etc. Second, impact with the bottom of the bowl may also cause a portion of the fragile part to deform, fracture, split, etc. Finally, for a given fragile part that repeatedly falls from the helical parts track, the continual conveyance of such a fragile part may eventually cause wear and tear.
What is therefore needed is a novel vibratory bowl of standard height for a particular part that is internally configured to significantly lessen, if not entirely eliminate, the risk of damage to the fragile parts within the bowl.